Tennis Elbow From Gym Training: It's Not Just A Tennis Injury
When people hear the term tennis elbow, they often assume it only affects tennis players.
In reality, most of the people we see with tennis elbow have never picked up a tennis racquet.
If you're experiencing pain around the outside of your elbow, our Elbow Pain Physio in Varsity Lakes page explains how we assess and manage the most common causes of elbow pain.
More often than not, tennis elbow develops because the tissues around the elbow are being asked to do more than they are currently prepared for.
What Is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylalgia, is an irritation of the tendons that attach to the outside of the elbow.
These tendons help control your wrist and grip.
Every time you lift a dumbbell, hold a barbell, pull a cable, or grip a pull-up bar, these tissues are working.
When the overall training load becomes greater than their current capacity, pain can develop.
Why Gym Training Can Cause Tennis Elbow
The elbow is involved in almost every upper-body exercise.
It may not be the primary muscle you're training, but it works hard to stabilise and transfer force.
Common exercises that can aggravate tennis elbow include:
Pull-ups
Chin-ups
Heavy rows
Deadlifts
Barbell curls
Bench press
Farmer's carries
This does not mean these exercises are harmful.
It simply means the elbow may not yet be able to tolerate the demands being placed on it.
This is where structured Injury Rehabilitation becomes important.
Why Rest Alone Usually Doesn't Work
Many people stop lifting altogether as soon as their elbow becomes painful.
While this often temporarily settles symptoms, the tendon becomes even less prepared for future loading.
As soon as training resumes, the pain often returns.
This cycle is one of the main reasons tennis elbow becomes persistent.
How Tennis Elbow Is Usually Rehabilitated
Successful rehabilitation is rarely about finding one magical exercise.
Instead, it usually involves:
Managing training load
Progressively strengthening the forearm muscles
Improving grip capacity
Gradually reintroducing aggravating exercises
Building confidence with heavier loading over time
This is where Exercise-Based Rehabilitation becomes such an important part of recovery.
The aim is to improve the tendon's ability to tolerate load, not simply avoid the exercises that caused symptoms.
Should You Stop Training?
Usually not.
For many people, training can continue with some temporary modifications.
That might involve:
Reducing weight
Lowering total training volume
Choosing different grip positions
Temporarily avoiding highly aggravating movements
Keeping the body moving while respecting the irritated tissue often leads to better long-term outcomes than complete rest.
When Tennis Elbow Doesn't Improve
If symptoms have persisted for several months or recur whenever you increase training, there may be more contributing to the problem than tendon irritation alone.
Long-standing pain can involve changes in tissue sensitivity, movement confidence, and load tolerance.
In these situations, aspects of our Chronic Pain Physiotherapy approach may become relevant alongside progressive strengthening.
When To See A Physiotherapist
Consider booking an assessment if:
Pain has lasted longer than two weeks
Your grip strength feels noticeably weaker
Lifting weights is becoming progressively more painful
Everyday tasks such as carrying bags or opening jars are uncomfortable
Symptoms repeatedly return after periods of improvement
A physiotherapy assessment helps identify why the tendon is becoming overloaded and provides a structured plan to rebuild its capacity.
The Goal Is To Return To Training
Tennis elbow does not mean your lifting days are over.
In most cases, it means your elbow needs a smarter progression back to full loading.
With the right rehabilitation plan, most people can continue training while gradually reducing pain and improving strength.
Book your physiotherapy appointment and get a clear plan to overcome elbow pain and return to training with confidence.